An study from the Environmental Working Group, Poluted Pets, by Olga Naidenko, Rebecca Sutton, Jane Houlihan, April 2008, begins: “ In the first study of its kind, Environmental Working Group found that American pets are polluted with even higher levels of many of the same synthetic industrial chemicals that researchers have recently found in people, including newborns. The results show that America’s pets are serving as involuntary sentinels of the widespread chemical contamination that scientists increasingly link to a growing array of health problems across a wide range of animals—wild, domesticated and human.”

While this may not be news to a large number of petowners, the extent of the problem is significant. It is therefore more than ever imperative to make the lives of our pets as toxin free as we can, because in doing so we make our own lives healthier. Multiple and layered illnesses have increasingly been seen in clinic in the human animal, as well as pets over the last several years in part due to this. The contamination comes from many sources; poluted tap water, commerical pet foods, lawn and garden chemical residues and indoor environment; air, off gassing of manmade materials in the home, commercial products for; cleaning, clothes washing and other home maintenance products, various commerical pet grooming products and flea protection products, cat litter, toys with toxic ingredients, etc. There are also those chemicals used in the urban environment and general airpolution. Animals absorb surface chemicals directly through the bottom of their feet, through nosing, licking or eating things off the ground and through grooming themselves thereby absorbing chemicals in ways that a human would not. All of this puts great stress on a many of the body’s systems and functions. It is therefore important to purchase products that are safe and luckily there are increasingly more to choose from and places to get them.

There is much we can do in controlling toxic contaminants for ourselves and out pets, but of course much we can’t readily controll. But if we provide clean, organic food, filtered or spring water, non toxic products throughout our homes; cleaning/maintenance, laundry, sprays, organic/non toxic products to groom pets, non toxic toys, collars, etc. it goes a long way towards helping our pets and ourselves maintain health. Consider for a moment that we and our children hug our pets, place our faces in their fur and pick up chemicals that may linger there. Anything we do for our pets can therefore have a beneficial impact on our own health as well.

Everything you have mentioned is poisoning both us and our pets. Cancer in pets has skyrocketed and is now the leading cause of death in our pets. This is an early warning of what we are doing to ourselves, and our pets are suffering. By doing the things you have talked about to limit the toxic exposures to our pets, we can ensure that our beloved animals live long, healthy lives. Manufactured pet foods do get most of the blame, but if you look at our world, that is just one factor out of many.

You are absolutely right Rick. People have a tendency to concentrate on the chemicals in foods, whether it is for pets or people and forget to look at all the other sources. The list is sizeable and the issues complex.With the significant increase in cancer and other serious chronic diseases over the last many years, there is fortunately a growing awarenes of the dangers of the chemicals we surround ourselves with. One must hope that this growing awareness will not only continue, but grow faster. In the end though taking the responsibility for ones own surroundings;ones family, pets, home and garden by not buying or using such products is a place to start.

Bethesda Cares and Full Plate Ventures launched Farm to Freezer this summer with support from a diverse network of volunteers, Churches’ donated kitchen space, and businesses. Bethesda Cares’ meals manager who cooks a hot lunch for 40-70 each day uses the